Curses and dresses
by artemisbear
Summary: Elena Gilbert works as a psychiatrist in the psychiatric hospital of Mystic Falls. One day, a new patient arrives who pretends to be a cursed vampire: Damon Salvatore, who says he cannot use all of his vampire abilities which puts him in a not so favorable position. Elena doesn't know why, but she slowly stars to believe in his story. Will she be able to save him?
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

*Elena's point of view*

Last night, I had quite a weird dream: I dreamt of my younger self writing in my old diary, sitting against my parents' graves just as I used to years ago when they had just died. However, they were some differences: there was a thick fog that kept me from seeing anything further than my feet on the ground and there was a strange crow staring at me and as I kind of felt, tried to tell me something. I was sure it tried to communicate me a message, but obviously couldn't, as it was just a bird. I have been feeling really weird since I woke up from this dream this morning. But I couldn't afford to get distracted, my work doesn't allow me to.

* * *

><p>I work as a psychiatrist in a psychiatric hospital, or in short, in an asylum. I began being employed there a year ago, directly after finishing my studies. I was admitted that quickly because Mystic Falls was quite a little place, no one really wanted to live there. I understand them in a way; nothing interesting happens here. But I want to live in Mystic Falls, surely because aside my college, I have never known another place in my entire life. I am quite happy to work in a not-so-happy place, probably because I get to do what I think I was meant to do: help others. Also, my best friend Caroline Forbes also works there as a psychiatrist. He have never been this close as we are since we finished our studies and both became doctors. It was her idea to study psychiatry first, as I didn't really know what to do, I decided to follow her and slowly really appreciated that side of medicine. Getting to study a human's mind is never not interesting: curing it is even better, though a bit difficult. But I try to never lose hope and imagine my parents being proud of me.<p>

* * *

><p>As I arrive at the hospital, I notice there was a van coming: a new patient. I wait for it in case the visitors need information or anything; also I am curious of what kind of ill person is coming. The van stops, two male nurses and the driver get out and the last one walks towards me.<p>

"Good morning, doctor… Gilbert. We have come with the complicated patient from Chicago as promised."

"I actually did not know we had a new one coming." I feel quite angry nobody had warned me.

"Oh, doctor Maxfield must have forgotten. This one is a type of craziness I have never observed before: the man in the van is convinced he is a vampire."

"A vampire? That is not common. Let me help you settle him in his new room."

"With pleasure." The driver has a huge smile on his face; he seems happy to get rid of that man. I am not quite sure I really want to meet that patient. He may be dangerous. But no, I have to get past this fear and do my job.

I walk to the back of the van where the two nurses have opened the door. There are getting the man out of the van and at the sight of his face, my heart skips a beat. He is by far the most handsome, charming and seducing man I have seen on this entire earth. His skin is really pale, but just enough to make him still look a little healthy physically, he is taller than everyone and seemed to have had once an enormous strength. He wears one of his fingers a ring that looks really ancient, I wonder what it meant to him. He looks at me and I notice how blue his eyes are and how black his hair is, just like the crow in my dream. There is an expression of surprise and astonishment on his perfect face at the sight of me. It is surely because I am the only woman right now. Though I am secretly hoping it is for some, let's say, more romantic reason. I can't stop looking at the patient, I haven't even heard the male nurse on my right asking me if I must take his file. I take it and read it as quick as I can.

* * *

><p>NAME: Damon Salvatore<p>

GENDER: M

BIRTH DATE: Unknown (according to the patient: 06.28.1840)

BIRTH PLACE: Unknown (according to the patient: Mystic Falls)

* * *

><p>I don't have time to read any more because we have to make Damon Salvatore go into his new room. I am really confused about the fact that he says his birth place is in my town, Mystic Falls. Is it true? Or, is it a lie as his birth date? I could not know. All I know is that right now I have to focus on making sure he gets where he has to without any problem or attempt in an escape. I will have time to think later. I will also have to find my superior, Doctor Wes Maxfield and inform him of the arrival of the vampire wannabe, at my highest regret. Me and him have never been able to get along, we have different point of views and I am afraid it will happen again today. I would like to take charge of Salvatore as I have no other specific patient to care for, but I doubt he will let me to. I want to study his behaviour, understand why he thinks he is a vampire and I want to be the one to save him. I <em>want <em>to be the one to save him.

Maxfield meets us in the hallway and I tell him all I know, except my request but inform him I want to talk the sooner we can. He nods and takes over into my mission. I see Caroline and walk, quite quickly to her. She is my age, but looks younger. She always has a fresh complexion and she is always stunning even though she never wears make-up at work, why would she anyway? She has long blonde wavy hair and an immortal positive attitude. She is the sun in my life, and I am not just saying that because of her hair colour. She has always been here for me, especially when I lost my parents. So I am always trying to help her, whenever she needs it. She greets me warmly and I tell her the same information as I told Maxfield, except faster this time.

"A good-looking patient? That is not good for work, but I want to see him. Let's go to his room." She giggles, excited. Caroline and her endless love for boys…

I roll my eyes. "Caroline, don't you have some work to do?"

"No, all of our patients are asleep, except the one that interests me. Come on, please. Let me enjoy him non-professionally once before going back to the serious psychiatrist attitude."

"Okay." I sigh.

* * *

><p>We arrive to the room number 21051. We don't have that much rooms, it's just that the number of the room is the one the patient sleeping will wear in our files, it's a complicated way to give numbers, I realise that.<p>

Maxfield is already taking notes of Damon Salvatore, who seems more desperate than ever. When he sees us arriving in the room, he doesn't seem angry or disappointed at all, surprisingly.

"Doctor Gilbert, Doctor Forbes, I was just to come to look for you both. This patient requires a special attention and treatment. He needs to be treated by only one doctor in order to confuse him the least possible. And only one of us three is qualified enough to do that. I, personally, have too much work and cannot do it, sadly. So it will be one of you two. Who volunteers?"

That is my chance, I don't even need to beg Maxfield. I just have to say one word which is…

"Me." says Caroline, and I swear in that moment I wish I haven't told her anything.

"Fine." Replies Maxfield, content with himself. He has always appreciated Caroline more than me, I don't care about that but it could be complicated sometimes. Like now. "If no one is against it, you take the job."

"I am against it." a deep voice full of history, anger, sadness and frustration has spoken: Damon Salvatore. "I want the brown headed one to take care of me." He seems to always get what he wants and is impatient when Maxfield considers his request for a minute or two.

"Well, I am sorry for you Doctor Forbes, but the patient's needs always come first. Doctor Gilbert, if you don't mind, would you take the job?"

There is nothing I want more in that moment. "Yes, Doctor Maxfield, I accept your offer. Thank you."

"Fine." This time, the word had less satisfaction in its pronunciation. "Let's leave now Mister Salvatore to rest, he has just gone through a long trip."

Maxfield leaves us out of the room 21051. "Caroline, I am sorry I got the offer. I- I hope you're not angry at me…"

"Elena! I would never be! The pretty crazy patient has chosen." She winks at me. "I am sure you will do it better than I ever would have." She takes my hands, looks at me, smiles and leaves me there in front of that grey door, behind which sat the man I have to take care of these next weeks, months, years, who knows?

**Hey! End of chapter one. I had so much fun writing it, and I hope you had pleasure reading it. It is a story that I already like a lot. :') Please, if you like it as well, follow, favourite or/and review it! Leave a comment anyway if you want to ahah. Xo**


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

*Damon's point of view*

The door to my prison cell has just shut. Well, technically it is not a prison cell as I am in a psychiatric hospital but let's be honest, it is the same damn thing with another name. Its only purpose is to keep the outsiders as far from society as it can. I am looking around in my room, the walls are plain white just like everything else around me. The only coloured things are my blue eyes and my black hair. My bed is even more uncomfortable than the cold floor, I have a useless chair and an even more useless desk. I am not going to write anything if that's expected from me, however I'm pretty sure it is put here to serve the psychiatrists. Thinking of the medical staff makes me feel really weird all of a sudden, maybe it is because of my personal doctor. I would swear on my currently pointless life that she seemed as upset as I was and still am when we saw each other. It is like we have already met before. I can't recall when or where, I just feel it, as if it were in a dream. Her long dark hair is surely as soft as it were when I apparently touched it, her brown eyes always look to be so concerned about everything, her heartbeat always so fast. I want to know if the feeling is mutual, but it is surely just a side effect of the meds I have been forced to take and the isolation. Just remembering all that has happened before my hospitalisation two – three maybe – years ago gives me murder impulses. No, I won't crack today, not on my very first day in here. I should probably sleep. I lay on my bed and my eyes shut quickly.

* * *

><p>I wake up to the sound of knocks on my door. I hear her voice but doesn't understand the words she says, I am not fully awoken I guess.<p>

"Just come in and stop talking so fast! Is your salary higher if you say more words in a minute?" I almost scream.

Elena Gilbert opens the door and stands before me looking quite embarrassed. She can't be so easily destabilised, can she? I glance at her quickly from head to toe; is it me or she is even more beautiful than she was this morning? If her beauty increases as the day goes, I can't even imagine how she must be stunning the night. I ignore her for a few seconds to close my eyes and picture her in a long dark blue dress with her shoulders being uncovered. In this representation she has her hair curled and is wearing some make-up on her eyes. Then I see myself in a suit dancing with her, watching both of us falling in love.

"Mister Salvatore" her voice calls me back to reality. "Are you alright?"

"Are you kidding me? How do you expect me to feel fine in a place like that? I don't even have a freaking window to distract me from here. And please, call me Damon; 'Mister Salvatore ages me."

"Well, Damon, according to you, you are almost two centuries old so age should not bother you." Elena says these words without being mean or anything, she is just teasing me in the friendliest ways. "Let's begin our session. Tell me, Damon, what were the events that led you to be convinced you are a vampire?"

"I don't want to talk about that."

"Then what subject do you want to bring up?" My psychiatrist doesn't even seem surprised of my refusal.

"I want to talk to you about my youth in Mystic Falls. Surely you must be intrigued to know how your hometown looked in the 19th century. As you know I was born in 1840 in the United States but my family came all the way from Italy. I don't have a lot of memories from my mother, she died when I was still a child but I do remember her sweet voice when she used to tell me stories. My father, however, lived longer. He gave us a strict education, to me and my brother, Stefan, but I always knew he did it out of love and not cruelty. His name was Giuseppe, you can't find more of an Italian name, can you?" I laugh nervously. "We never really were a lot close anyway, he was always busy with the town business, as we belonged to one of the founding families. But thankfully I had my younger brother, without him I would have been so lonely. We never fought, unless if it were for fun. We ran together in the gardens, chasing the ball. We liked to ride our horses in the forest near our mansion. Tell me that Mystic Falls has still its beautiful forests."

"It does, they are majestic. So, your brother…"

"Yes, Stefan. He was the responsible brother, I was the fun one. He was really concerned about his future and even knew the names he would give his children while I would just get drunk with my friends. Then the Civil War happened in 1861, I had to go there. Stefan was too young to come with me. I felt extremely jealous of the fact he didn't have to risk his life in a stupid war. I have always been kind of selfish. Well, Elena Gilbert, it is all for today's episode of my interesting life."

She is taking notes of everything I say, I wonder what she thinks of all of this. I suddenly feel like I have betrayed myself with telling such details of my life. I should've lied, should've said I was born twenty-four years ago in New York or wherever and I that finally remember it all. I could that way get out of here quicker and chase down the source of my bad adventure. But that source is smart and made sure I wouldn't be able to lie. But deep down, I think that I can trust the Gilbert girl. She looks a lot prettier than her ancestors, by the way.

When the psychiatrist has finally done writing on some papers, her look crosses mine and I see her blushing. Why am I intimidating her? From that moment, I observe the fact she avoids to look at me the most possible.

"Damon, your case seems to be even more complicated than I first thought. I am afraid you will spend a long time in my company. From what I have heard today and read from the report file of your previous psychiatrist, you have some kind of mythomania, you do have a lot of imagination. I hope we will be able to channel that creativity into something else than your memories and perception of you in general… art maybe? I still have to work on the medication and type of therapy I need to give you. I don't think it will take much time to define that. Do you need anything, anyway?"

Elena Gilbert is so cold, so professional, I thought I had seen a glimpse of friendliness in her at the beginning of our session. I feel terribly sad, and I don't know why, rejected. She doesn't want to be involved with me more than a patient-doctor relationship. I was so stupid of hoping that we could be friends.

"Yes, I do. I need my freedom back, but as you cannot give me that, I ask you to leave my room. Quick." I try to pull out my most aggressive expression and tone without being violent. I don't want to scare her, but I am truly annoyed, angry and done with all of this.

"Fine, have a nice day, Mister Salvatore."

I punch a wall the strongest I could and it hasn't been able to relax me anyway.

* * *

><p>*Elena's point of view*<p>

As I leave Damon Salvatore's room, I feel tears in my eyes. I try to keep them inside, I cannot cry in here. I can't show weakness at work, so I decide to go outside for a bit, to breathe some fresh air.

* * *

><p>I am alone in the park behind the hospital; I feel relieved. I don't want to see anyone for now. I sit on a bench made of dark steel, the colour of it reminding me too much of Damon Salvatore's hair, I try to never look at it and I prefer looking at the cloudless sky. The blue above my head is almost the exact shade of my patient's eye colour. So finally, I just look at the plants in front of me. I take my head with my hands and try to breathe. How could he destabilise me so much after just one session? What is there about him that makes me feel so weird? Every moment I spent in his company made me feel in another world, as if I were travelling with him in time: together we were in this Mystic Falls he had invented. I read my notes and find his story disturbingly coherent; he surely must have made parallels between precise moments of his life and the one he had made up. The Civil War he had to go to is surely in reality in Iraq or Afghanistan. He said his brother didn't go because he was too young, in truth he probably just chose another path than military life. Maybe Damon Salvatore's entire dementia came from war. I sigh and note my theory down. After ten minutes, I decide to go back in the hospital and type all of my observations on my computer.<p>

* * *

><p>When I come home, that evening. I see the window of my living room open; has someone broken into my house or did I just forgot to close the window this morning? Well, it was kind of both, I guess. A dark crow is standing on my couch, intensely looking at me. It is not scared when I run towards it to make it leave. It just stares at me. If it could talk, it would probably say I look pathetic. I sit on the armchair next to the couch and look at it as well. Can it be the crow I saw in my dreams? No, it is not possible. It must be a coincidence. Suddenly, the crow decides to fly away from the same window it probably came in, leaving me more troubled than ever.<p>

**So this is chapter 2! I hope you like reading it. Thank you so much for the positive reviews, the follows and the favourites! I truly hope I haven't disappointed you with the following. If I haven't, don't forget to follow/favourite for the next chapters, and to review! Thank you again. :)**


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